Improvement in portable fences



J. M. SMITH. PORTABLE-FENCES.

No. 194,538, Paten te'd Aug. 28,1877.

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Jonathan/JV.

N.FETERs, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER WASHINGYON, D. c.

- one of the main section-rails.

' UNITED S ATES PATENT OFFICE.

JONATHAN M. SMITH, OF DEDHAM, MASSAoHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 194,535, dated August 28, 1877; application filed I July 17,1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN M. SMITH, of Dedham, of the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful or Improved Portable Fence; and do hereby declare the same to be described in the following specification and represented in the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a top view, and Fig. 2 a side elevation, of such fence. Fig. 3 is a side view of one of its main posts. Fig. 4 is a top view. Fig. 5 a side view, and Fig. 6 an end view, of Fig. 7 is a side view of one of the diagonal braces. Fig. 8 is a side view of one of the corner-posts. Fig. 9 is a side view of one of the two-notched corner-rails. Fig. 10 is a side view of one of the single-notched corner-rails.

In this fence each main post A is composed of two uprights, a a, a foot-piece, b, and a series of connection pieces, 0, arranged as represented, and secured together by nails. One of the uprights is provided with notches e in its inner edge, one of such notches being arranged immediately below each connectionpiece 0. The other upright is notched, as shown at f, between the upper connectionpiece and that next below it, this latter notch being to receive the diagonal brace 0. The uprights of each main post are arranged at a distance apart equal to or a little greater than twice the thickness of one of the rails; but those of a corner post, A, are disposed apart a distance equal to or a little greater than the thickness of each of the rails that go between them. 1

Furthermore, each main rail B has fixed on its upper edge, at one end of it, what I term a flange-cap, D, which, formed as represented,projects a short distance over each side of the rail. Besides this, the rail is notched on its lower edge below such flangeoap, as shown at g, such notch being to receive or straddle one of the connection-pieces c of the post.

When the rail is so placed on such connectionpiece the flange-cap not only enters the notch e in one of the uprights, but extends over and laps on another rail resting on such connection-piece. The notch and the flanged cap thereby perform the function of holding both rails down upon and in engagement with the connection piece.

Each main rail also has a shoulder, 8, arranged in it, as represented, to rest on and against a connection-piece.

The diagonal brace has notches h 'i in it,

near one end, to receive the two upper connection-pieces of the post, it being extended through the post, and thence obliquely downward across the rails of the section to the lower one at the next post. It should be nailed to the said lower rail where lapping thereon.

Furthermore, each rail of one set of the corner-rails has two notches, k 1, arranged in it, as represented in Fig. 9, each rail of the fellow set being provided with a single notch, as shown at m, to engage with a rail at its notch l. The notch 7c is to receive one of the connection-pieces c of the corner-post. Each cornerrail is internotched with its fellow, and those corner-rails which are against the outer side of the post are to be nailed to such post.

The several posts, rails, brace, and flangecaps are to be arranged in manner as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Each main section of the fence will thus be composed of the post, the series of rails, the flange-caps, and the brace, constructed, notched, and arranged together and with the post and the rails of the next section, as set forth.

The fence is to be made up of any sufficient number of the sections, as described, which can very easily be put up or taken down and transported from place to place, as a farmer may require.

I would remark that I do not intend to claim, broadly, a portable fence composed of posts and rails, or such and cross-braces, as such is not new; but

What I claim as my invention is as follows:

1. The post composed of the foot-piece b, the Series of connection-pieces c, and the two uprights a a, provided with,the notches 0, arranged in them or the Said uprights, as Shown, in combination with a set of rails, B, and their flangecaps D, arranged to extend into the said post, as represented.

2. in combination with the post A, constructed and having notches e f in it, as described, and with the two sets of rail B and their flange-caps D, arranged in said post, as set forth, the diagonal brace O, notched and extended through the post alongside of one of its two upper rails, and thence obliquely across one set of the rails, and fastened thereto, all substantially as shown and explained.

3. In combination withapost, A, constructed and having one of its uprights provided with notches 0, arranged in it, as described, two sets of corner-rails, B, arranged at a right angle the other set being nailed or fastened to the post, as specified.

JONATHAN M. SMITH.

Witnesses R. H. EDDY, J 011m B. Snow. 

